Freezing tray



vMany 25', 1937. B. s. GEYER y 2,081,428

` FREEZING TRAY Filed March 10, 1956 'Patented May 25, 1937 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE i 2,081,428 FREEzmG TRAY Bertram B. Geyer,Greenwich, Conn.

Application March 10, 11936,` Serial No. 68,001.

6 Claims. (Cl. S27-108.5)

The invention relates to freezing trays, or containers of the typeadapted to be inserted within the freezing compartment of arefrigerator, and more particularly to new and improved means tofacilitate the removal of the frozen contents thereof.

One object of the invention resides in the provision of efficient,simple and economically manufactured means adapted to be used inconjunc` tion with commercial types of freezing trays to facilitate andexpedite removal'of the frozen con'- tents thereof.

Another object of the invention consists in the provision of meansarranged to be positioned in a freezing tray in .underlying relationwith respect to the grid thereof, said means being adapted to bewithdrawn after solidication of the contents of Athe tray to lift asection of said grid above the level of the top of the tray andthus'facilitate complete removal of the grid together with the frozencontents of the tray.

It is a, further object of the invention to provide a block ofcompressible material arranged to be received within a freezing tray,with one of its surfaces in engagement with the surface of a traypartition grid, said block being adapted to i be readily removed fromthe tray after solidication of the contents thereof to facilitate theremoval of the grid together with the frozen contents of the pan ror tofacilitate access to certain of the blocks of ice and thus expediteremoval of the latter.

Another object of the invention resides in pro- .viding a rubbergridwith a substantially thickened end wall of compressible charactersufcient to permit manipulation of this end wall, and by itscompressibility facilitate the release of the wall and thereby releasefrom the tray the entire grid and frozen contents.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent in the followingdescription of preferred and alternative forms of the invention. It willbe understood, however, that many changes in form, construction andmaterials may be made by those skilled in the art without departing fromthe scope and spirit of the invention; as expressed in the appendedclaims.

Referring to the drawing;

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a freezing tray or container provided with apreferred form of the invention.

Fig. 1a. is a plan view of a freezing tray or container provided with analternative formof the invention.

Fig. 2 ls a vertical sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1a.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the form shown in Fig. 2 andtaken along line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 4 and 5 are another form of the invention in which the rubber gridhas a substantially thickened end wall of sufficient elasticity andcompressibility to rachieve the desired result.

Fig. 6 is another form of the invention, being a sectionalized viewalong the line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

In Figs. 1 and 1a, I have shown alternative forms of the inventionadapted to trays or containers which may, for purposes of illustration,be substantially identical, and, for convenience, are shown in thisinstance as occupying opposite ends of identical trays. It will beunderstood that similar reference numerals refer to similar partsthroughout the several views.

The numeral IIJ designates in its entirety, a

freezing tray having bottom II and side and end walls I2 and I3respectively. The tray may be .constructed of any of the materialscommonly spaced longitudinal webs I5, I6, and I1 and nor- 1 mallydisposed intersecting webs I8 to 22 inclusive, divides the interior ofthe container into a plurality of spaces corresponding with the size ofthe individual cubicalsor blocks desired when the contents of the trayare frozen. As shown in the drawing the webs of the grid terminateadjacent the end andside walls respectively of the container and are ofsuch height that the plane defined by their upper edges is substantiallycoincident with the plane of the upper edges of the container walls. Thegrid is preferably made of rubber or thin flexible metal or othermaterial. I

Dim'culty has been experienced heretofore in removing the contents ofthe tray after freezing occurs, partially because of the wedging actionagainst its walls which results from the expansion inherent in thesolidifying process; and partially because of the tendency of thesurfaces of the tray and its contents to mutually adhere.

of the latter to effect its removal is impracticable. Thus recourse iscommonly had to the tedious and unsatisfactory expedient of heating theexterior surface ofthe tray, as for example with hot water,l

until the frozen bond between the walls or bot-` tom of the tray and itscontents is destroyed thereby permitting emptying of the container.

In one of its aspects, the present invention consists in the provisionof blocks of compressible material which are adapted to be placed in thecontainer prior to freezing ofthe contents thereof, and then easilyremoved after solidifcation has occurred to provide a clear spacebetween an end wall of the container and` an adjacent side face of thegrid, or of the frozen contents, and to simultaneously render a portionof the grid accessible, so that the latter may be grasped to lift bothgrid and frozen material from the tray without recourse to'theobjectionable procedure previously mentioned.

Considered from yet another viewpoint, the invention resides in theprovision Aof compressible means adapted to lie within the containerwith one of its surfaces in engagement with a wall thereof and sopositioned with respect to a grid that removal of the said compressiblemember will function to displace and consequently facilitate completeremoval of the grid together with the frozen contents of the tray.

Referring to a preferred embodiment of the invention as shown in Figs.1, 2, and 3, blocks of compressible material, such for example as rubberare indicated at 23 and 24. The external surfaces 25, of the blocks asshown in Fig. 2, are shaped to conform with the contour of an end wallI3 of tray I Il, and their bottoms l26 are adapted to contact the bottomof the tray. The blocks are desirably of such height that their topsurfaces 21 are flush with the plane defined by the top edge of the sideand end walls of the container to preclude the possibility of theirbeing submerged in the contents of the latter at the time of filling andtheir length and width are such as to'completely fill the cubicalsdefined by webs I5, I6, I1, and 22, and the adjacent end wall of thecontainer, thus completely excluding liquid from these spaces. To permitof simultaneous removal from the tray, the blocks are connected one tothe other, in spaced, aligned relationship, by a bridge member 28, (Fig.3) which serves to separate their adjacent vertical surfaces 23a and 24aa distance corresponding to the thickness of web I6. In the presentembodiment of the invention, bridge member 28 is formed integrally withblocks 23 and 24 and the top edge of web I 6 is cut away sufficiently toaccommodate the former part when the blocks are resting on the bottom ofthe container `as shown particularly in Fig. 2. It will be understoodthat the blocks may be connected in like .relationship by other means,or two separate blocks may be used.

A tab 29, attached to, or formed integrally with the blocks and arrangedto project Vover the wall I3, facilitates their withdrawal. j

Rubber is a preferred material from which to form the blocks 23 and 24,because of its several desirable characteristics includingcompressibility, and elasticity, effectiveness in excluding' liquid.

and comparative freedom from adhesive tendencies while in contact withmetal or frozen substances; but other flexible substances might be used.

In utilizing the preferred embodiment of the invention, the grid, andthen the blocks, are positioned in the tray and the latter is lled withliquid to be frozen. After solidiiication occurs, the tray is removedfrom the refrigerator and twisted slightly to break the frozen bondbetween its contents and side walls. The tab 29 is then pulled upwardlyto withdraw the blocks 23 and 24 thus leaving the bridged section oflongitudinal web I6, from the end wall of the tray to cross web 22,exposed and accessible. By grasping the before-mentioned web, the grid,together with the frozen contents of tray can then be removed.

A single block may be used where desirableand it will be apparent thatunder such circumstances the tray would be twisted and then the blockremoved in the manner previously described. One or both of thelongitudinal web sections defining the side walls of the cubicle vacatedby the block would then be distorted sufficiently to permit engagementby the fingers whereby the grid and contents of the tray could beremoved.

Another form of the invention intended to achieve a similar result ofeasy removal of the grid and its frozen contents, is shown in Figs. 4and 5. l

In this instance the grid is preferably made of molded rubber with theusual relatively thin intersecting longitudinal and transverse webs 40as shown in Fig. 5, but at one end of the grid the webs are connected bya substantially thickened end wall 4 I, this end wall also being ofrubber and preferably molded as part ofthe entire grid. As shown in Fig.4 this end wall preferably rises vertically above the level of the restof the grid so that it can be grasped by the operator.

.In Fig. 5 this end wall is shown sectionalized as if cut oil.' iiushwith the top level of the grid, but merely for the purpose ofillustrating the character of this wall of substantially increasedthickness.

According to this construction, when the contents of the tray are frozenand the tray is twisted to give the usual action of partly separatingthe frozen contents from thetray, as above referred to, then theoperator can grasp the protruding end of the wall 4I and the elasticityand compressibility of this rubber wall permits the same to bemanipulated to free this end wall from the tray and thereby facilitatethe removal of the entire grid with its frozen cubes of ice from thebody of the tray.

In another of its. aspects the invention consists in the provision ofmeans to elevate a section of the grid adjacent a wall of the pan, abovethe edge thereof, to permit gripping of the said section thus madeaccessible so that the entire grid and the contents of the tray may beremoved. To this latter end, a strip 30 (Figs. 1 and 6), is arranged tounderlie a section of the grid adjacent an end wall I3 of the tray, thestrip preferably being a continuous piece extending upwardly along thewall of the pan as shown at 3| and terminating in a tab 32 whichprojects over the top edge of the wall, of the container as does 30underlies the central web I6 of grid I4, the web being cut awaysulciently to accommodate the parts. In the present instance the stripis rectangular in contour and extends inwardly from the end wall I3 tothe next adjacent cross web I8 of the partition grid I4, but will beunderstood that it may be of triangular or other shape and of suchlength as to underlie a greater or lesser extent of the grid. As shownin Fig. 6, that portion of strip 30 which lies against the end wall ofthe tray may be reinforced, as for example.

. the tab 29. As shown in the drawing, the strip properties of rubberand being sufficiently rigid to exert the necessary pressure against theoverlying grid and cubicle .or cubicles, to raise the latter Withoutdistorting of the strip to such van extent as to defeat its purpose. Ofcourse many forms of rubber areA characterized by physical properties ofthe kind required and other materials will likewise prove satisfactory.

It will be evident that the liquid contents of the tray will overlie thestrip 30 and that after solidication occurs the tab 32 may be used toexert an upward force on the strip thus elevating the end section of-the grid as well as the frozen cubicles overlying strip 30, above thellevel of the tray. The exposed cubes may then be removed to render thegrid accessible thus permitting the entire remainder of the contents ofthe tray to be removed.

For purposes of simplicity'I have shown one alternative, as well as thepreferred form of the invention in conjunction with the container ofFig. 1, but it will be obvious that either form` alone will sufce inpractice: and that any one of the other constructions, as shown in Figs.4, 5, and4 6, may be singly employed to accomplish the objects of theinvention. I

In each embodiment of the invention, use has been made of acompressible, or `flexible member adapted to be received in the freezingtray at the time of filling the' latter; the saidl member beingprovided, or formed integrally with, a projection extending abovetheplane defined by the upper edges of the walls 'of the container toafford means of manipulating the member after solidication of thecontents of the tray, thus utilizing the vcompressible characteristic ofthe member to liberate its surfaces from the frozen contents of thetray, the Walls of the latter, or both; so that the member, the grid,and the contents of the tray may be easily and quickly removed.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a freezing tray adapted to be inserted Within the freezingcompartment .of a refrigerator, the combination of a non-rigidgridarranged to divide the space Within the tray into a plurality ofseparate compartments, and a sepal rable block of compressible materialin said tray adapted to occupy one of the compartments thus prising apan, a grid to .divide said pan into a A l 3 plurality of separatecompartments to cause the contents of the pan to solidify in a pluralityof separate cubes, and a block in said pan shaped to occupy one of thecompartments defined by said grid adjacent a wall of said pan, theremoval of said block subsequent to the solidication of the' contents ofsaid pan serving to facilitate removal of said grid and the solidifiedcontents of the pan.

3. A freezing tray for refrigerators comprising: a walled container, aremovable partition grid unit within said container to divide the frozencontents thereof into a plurality of blocks, and a flexible member insaid container arranged to underlie a portion of said grid adjacent awall of said container, said member including a portion extending abovethe level of the walls of the container and adapted to be engaged towithdraw said member, the withdrawal of said member serving to rendersaid grid accessible to enable the latter and the frozen contents of thecontainer to be removed.

4. A freezing tray for refrigerators comprising:

a Walled container, a' removable partition grid part in said containerarranged to underlie a portion of said grid adjacent a Wall of saidcontainer, said part including a portion extending over said wall andadapted to be manually engaged to Withdraw said underlying part, thewithdrawal of said part serving to render said grid accessible to enablethe latter and the frozen contents of the container Ato be removed.

. 5. A freezing tray for refrigerators comprising: a pan, a removablepartition grid unit in said pan to divide the frozen contents thereofinto a plurality of blocks, and a separable member in said tray with oneof its surfaces in bearing en.- gagement with a portion of the surfaceof said grid, so that removal of said member after solidification of thecontents of the tray will render said grid accessible and thusfacilitate the removal of the grid and frozen contents of the pan. 6. Ina freezing tray adapted to be inserted within the freezing compartmentof a refrigerator, the combination of a grid formed with intersectingpartitions adapted to form a plurality of ice cube molds, anda partWithin said tray arranged to fit between a wall thereof and one of thegrid partitions, said part including a laterally projecting tabextending externally of the` ltray when said part is positioned therein,said tab being adapted to be engaged after freezing of the contents ofthe tray to withdraw said part, thereby displacing a portion of saidgrid to render the same accessible for manipulation to effect removal ofthe latter, together with the frozen contents of the tray.

BERTRAM B. GEYER.

